Bond for man accused of raping infant increased to $1 million

BUCYRUS - A man accused of raping an infant will stay in jail on a $1 million bond, a judge decided Tuesday.

Adam W. Gunter, 38, of Galion, was charged with first-degree felony rape after the baby was taken to Galion Community Hospital on Dec. 17, according to Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall.

The arraignment Tuesday was the first time Gunter stood before Crawford County Common Pleas Judge Sean Leuthold since being arrested more than a month ago. During his initial appearance, which took place Dec. 21 in municipal court, the man's attorney asked for a competency hearing.

Gunter's attorney reiterated to Leuthold on Tuesday that they were planning to plea not guilty by reason of insanity. That's when the judge ordered Gunter's bond be raised from the initial $500,000 to $1 million.

Gunter's competency hearing has not been completed.

Crall said the baby was in the custody of her grandmother, who lived in Galion with the infant, Gunter and two other men. Police don't believe Gunter is related to the infant.

On Dec. 17, the grandmother left the house to attend an event in Galion, leaving the baby in the care of the three men.

"One of the individuals was sleeping," Crall said. "The other individual said he doesn’t like kids and didn’t want to be left in charge of the kid."

Gunter was left with the baby, Crall said. He told police he had been feeding her a bottle before going to the bathroom and when he came back, there was blood running from her nose.

Crall said it was about 9 p.m. when doctors at the Galion hospital examined the baby. They found severe injuries in the baby's mouth, and decided the infant should be taken immediately to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.

"There were burn marks around the neck that Children's Hospital told us were due to some chemical or burn — it could have been scalding water," Crall said. "There were some other injuries to the child that the hospital found consistent with a child that had been abused."

By the afternoon of Dec. 18, police had arranged for everyone who lived with baby to come in for questioning. Crall said Gunter spoke to officers on Dec. 19.

Gunter admitted to police he had sexual contact with the baby, Crall said. Police arrested him immediately.

"We probably wouldn’t have made an arrest until we had that admission," Crall said.

The man will be evaluated by doctors at the District Five Forensic Center in Mansfield.

"The baby is in the custody of childrens services," Crall said. "To my knowledge, the injuries were not life-threatening."